Toy mortar



Oct. 28, 1924- A. c. DEAN TOY MORTAR Filed Aug. 14. 1923 ATTORNEY Patented Get. 28, 1924.

ARTHUR C. DEAN, F NOBVVOOI), OHIO.

TOY IVIORTAR.

Application filed August 14, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Norwood, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Mortars, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a type of toy mortar capable of receiving a so-called fire-cracker, such as is commonly used at Independence Day celebrations, and allowing it to explode harmlessly within the barrel of the mortar. At the same time a ball of some suitable and harmless material may be inserted and held in the muzzle of the device in such a manner that the force of the explosion will project the ball in the desired direction, where it may be caught by the operator or a playmate.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a harmless source of amusement and a safe mkeans for exploding the above mentioned firecrackers, all in a manner as hereinafter described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mortar and its base.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the mortar.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the mortar on the line 8, 3, of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of the base.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the metal blank out of which the base is constructed.

eferring now to the drawings in detail, the base 1 is preferably made of sheet metal shaped with sides 2, 3, 4L and 5, and a top 6, said top having a concave receptacle 7 stamped therein, suitably shaped to receive the mortar. The receptacle has a cylindrically curved floor 8, and an end wall 9, providing a seat for the base portion of the mortar. The barrel portion of the mortar Serial No. 657,424.

is preferably made of a piece of sheet metal formed into a conical cylinder 10 and closed at he bottom, which is the widest part, by a floor 11, soldered or spotwelded to the lower portion of the cylinder. The floor 11 has a raised portion 12, stamped in the metal in the fashion of a step, which is a stop to prevent the ammunition from falling in an un desirable position.

The cylinder 10 is perforated near the base 13, to receive the ammunition. A ball projectile l l is provided, having a diameter sufficient to close the muzzle 15 of the mortar.

In practical operation, a fire-cracker is inserted in the perforation 13 in the barrel and allowed to rest against the side 12 of the raised portion in the floor. The ball is inserted into the muzzle and seated with a slight pressure, whereupon the mortar is laid in the receptacle 7 in the base and the fuse of the cracker is ignited.

It will be noted that the fire-cracker eX- tends partly out of the perforation in the barrel, thus closing that opening and allowing the full force of the explosion to be concentrated upon the projectile, or out of the muzzle of the mortar. The device is so constructed that the mortar may be used separately and independently of the base by simply setting it upon the ground in a vertical position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A fire cracker mortar comprising a sheet metal tube open at one end, and having a fire cracker hole near the other end, a closure for the said other end comprising a disk having a fiat step therein so set as to be located opposite the said hole, to form a shoulder on which a fire cracker will rest, said disk being mounted in the said other end of the mortar, as and for the purpose described.

ARTHUR C. DEAN. 

